San Diego mulls major hydroelectric project
San Diego’s regional water agency says it may build a major hydroelectric project after news that the troubled San Onofre nuclear power plant is closing.
The San Diego County Water Authority said Monday that San Onofre’s closing underscores the need to decide whether it makes sense to move forward on a project that has been discussed for years. The water agency and the city of San Diego plan to complete a study by spring.
Pumps at San Vicente Reservoir would generate up to 500 megawatts of electricity, or enough to supply about 325,000 homes. Construction would be completed in five years.
Southern California Edison said last month that it was closing San Onofre, which supplied about 20 percent of the San Diego region’s electricity.
